Ways to Keep Boat Bottom Clean?

[fstbttms]

Copper-based anti fouling paints are still being manufactured and in fact are far and away the most common type of anti fouling in use worldwide. Look at any saltwater marina in the U.S. and almost 100% of the boats in it are wearing a copper-based anti fouling paint.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

The boat will be anchored in one place unattended for extended periods.
I can't clean it myself because I'm not there.
I would have to pay someone to clean it when I'm not there.

I hope your not planning to anchor this boat in San Francisco Bay.

Anchoring an unattended boat for extended periods is bad for so many reasons it borders on stupidity. It creates derelict slums where transient cruisers are then unable to anchor securely. When a storm blows through, a large portion of these illegally anchored boats end up on the rocks and then need to be removed by the US Army Corps of Engineers at taxpayer expense. During our last storm, 12 derelicts from Richardson Bay dragged over to Tiburon, and have subsequently been "rescued" and then demolished at taxpayer expense. This happens to dozens of boats every year.

If you need to store your boat for an extended period, the right way to do it is to have it hauled and then stored in dry moorage. There are many yards that do this cheaply in the bay area. If you can't afford to do it the right way, then please consider selling the boat rather than putting it out in public waters to tend for itself.

I'm sorry if this sounds gruff, but this has become a growing problem in SF bay. The boating community doesn't want you to store your boat here. You end up saving money while we get stuck with the bill when it sinks or drags. Please understand why that's a bad deal for us.

[roverhi]

Interesting, never realized all the derelicts in Richardson Bay just showed up in the last year or so. Sausalito has been a catch all for derelict boats since well before I first sailed the Bay in the early '70s. My last sail through Sausalito in '10, was surprized at how the anchor out scene was actually looking a bit better. Still a lot of trash, but not as bad is the good old days. Amazing how anyone in the ultra tolerant SF Bay area could be upset with anchor outs. Hell, people think it's their right to run around naked, piss and defecate on the sidewalks, and generally make a nuisance of themselves and the majority seem to think its protected behavior.

A couple coats of Interlux Micron Extra and you should be good for a couple of years with very occasional scrubbing. Go out and sail the boat regularly and it will probably longer between scrub downs. Doesn't hurt a FRP boat to have growth on the bottom though it does effect sailing very negatively. The prop is a problem. There are paints/treatments for the prop but they are either very expensive or not long lasting. Since you are at anchor, you don't need the engine to get underway, in any case.

[nimblemotors]

But unattended boats tethering to docks is OK?

If all those people just dry docked all their boats, we wouldn't have this copper toxic paint problem, just to keep it to the topic.

Originally Posted by Bash

I hope your not planning to anchor this boat in San Francisco Bay.

Anchoring an unattended boat for extended periods is bad for so many reasons it borders on stupidity. It creates derelict slums where transient cruisers are then unable to anchor securely. When a storm blows through, a large portion of these illegally anchored boats end up on the rocks and then need to be removed by the US Army Corps of Engineers at taxpayer expense. During our last storm, 12 derelicts from Richardson Bay dragged over to Tiburon, and have subsequently been "rescued" and then demolished at taxpayer expense. This happens to dozens of boats every year.

If you need to store your boat for an extended period, the right way to do it is to have it hauled and then stored in dry moorage. There are many yards that do this cheaply in the bay area. If you can't afford to do it the right way, then please consider selling the boat rather than putting it out in public waters to tend for itself.

I'm sorry if this sounds gruff, but this has become a growing problem in SF bay. The boating community doesn't want you to store your boat here. You end up saving money while we get stuck with the bill when it sinks or drags. Please understand why that's a bad deal for us.

[rebel heart]

"Weeds " aren't a problem to scrub but you can easily suck down a 3000psi 80 tank fighting with barnacles.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

But unattended boats tethering to docks is OK?

If all those people just dry docked all their boats, we wouldn't have this copper toxic paint problem, just to keep it to the topic.

A boat in a slip is much less likely to ever come to grief than a boat on a mooring. Boats in slip are much more protected, for one thing and do not sail around a mooring with the wind, as moored boats do.

Regarding the dry sailing of boats, you are correct of course, regarding the copper pollution issue. But let's face it, launching and retrieving a 40' sailboat is no easy task and requires a travelift, a couple of people and a fair amount of time. Not exactly cheap or convenient. Not to mention the space required to dry store 20,000 boats, which is how many live in the water in the greater Bay Area, for instance.

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

But unattended boats tethering to docks is OK?

If all those people just dry docked all their boats, we wouldn't have this copper toxic paint problem, just to keep it to the topic.

Yes,unattended boats tethering to docks is OK.

An unattended boat on anchor is a hazard for every boater. This is why your starting to see Anchoring laws where their were none.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

An unattended boat on anchor is a hazard for every boater. This is why your starting to see Anchoring laws where their were none.

It's not only that these boats are hazards. Additionally, they take up valuable anchorage that others can't use. Every year we have boats cruising down the coast from Canada and the Pacific Northwest who want to stop over in Richardson Bay. In the past few years these boats have had to anchor deeper and deeper out toward the mouth of the bay. This means they have to put up with ferry wakes, et cetera, not to mention that they have a long dinghy ride to get to a chandlery or a grocery. All because some boat that will never sail again is taking up prime anchorage.

[nimblemotors]

I don't think the hazards of anchoring out have changed at all.
It is the governments desire to add new laws about EVERYTHING. boating has always been very unregulated, not so anymore.
Pretty soon you won't be able to even live on your boat,
oh wait that is true in many places already.
next year no liveaboards on the sac river.
only criminals live on boats.

i hope the moderator approves my previous message so we can talk about how to keep a boat bottom clean.. i guess it had lots of links so looked like spam.

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Yes,unattended boats tethering to docks is OK.

An unattended boat on anchor is a hazard for every boater. This is why your starting to see Anchoring laws where their were none.

[gonesail]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

it's like boats are back in the 1950's

the only way to keep things from growing on your hull is to take it out of the water. may as well move onshore at that point

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Less frequent, more abrasive cleaning will shorten the life of your anti fouling paint pretty dramatically (be it hard or ablative paint.) Conversely, more frequent, less abrasive cleaning will extend it. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, the difference between cleaning every three months and cleaning every two months is often a year or more of anti fouling paint lifespan. By that I mean the typical bottom job will last about two years when cleaned every three months. Increase the cleaning frequency to every two months (just 2 additional cleanings per year) and you can expect up to three years or more out of that same paint. Imagine how many haulouts for new paint you won't have to do, over the long run.

Here’s the math for 10 years of ownership of a 32' boat:

3-month schedule (painted every 2 years)
$2500 bottom job X 5 = $12,500
$72.00 hull cleaning (4 times/year X 10) = $2880
Total expenditure (10 years) = $15,380

2-month schedule (painted every 3 years)
$2500 bottom job X 3 = $7500
$72.00 hull cleaning (6 times/year X 10) = $4320
Total expenditure (10 years) = $11,820

You save over $3500. Other, less quantifiable savings to you will be realized in reduced fuel costs and future haulout/bottom painting expenditures, as the cost of that particular maintenance item is only going to rise, going forward.

Your point is taken but to be fair the 3 year paint schedule needs $830 added to it for the last year's paint job.

Or you could do the analysis on 12 years which is divisible by both 2 and 3.

Everyone cruising needs a method and the know how to dive on their own boat. Even if just to clear a prop wrap. Recently a guy went overboard to clear a wrap. He hadn't been over the side before and coudn't figure out how to get back on board as his freeboard was too high and he was a bit big. A taxi boat had to pick him up in the mooring field.

[Matt sachs]

If I anchor in or around mobile bay in the summer and return to tennessee in the winter, will the sea life fall off in the fresh water??

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Matt sachs

If I anchor in or around mobile bay in the summer and return to tennessee in the winter, will the sea life fall off in the fresh water??

Freshwater is poison to most sealife and yes, moving the boat into freshwater will do a remarkable job of cleaning the bottom. Mollusks and tunicates will die and may not fall off, but otherwise, it's a good way to clean the bottom.

[Matt sachs]

Thanks!

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Matt sachs

If I anchor in or around mobile bay in the summer and return to tennessee in the winter, will the sea life fall off in the fresh water??

That oughta slow things down. But Matt, consider turning those seasons around.

JackB: I'm sure you know or will eventually hear about tin-based paints. When you do, please raise the issue on SailNet or better, Sail Arnachy but not here. It's like a line you do NOT want to cross. Plus they're illegal among civilized peoples.